SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5452

            AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES,

                                 MARCH 5, 1991

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for public assistance.

SPONSORS:Senators Roach and Stratton; by request of Dept. of Social & Health Services.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5452 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chairman; L. Smith, Vice Chairman; Craswell, and Stratton. 

Staff:  Joanne Conrad (786‑7190)

Hearing Dates:March 5, 1991

BACKGROUND:

The JOBS Program (Job Opportunities and Basic Skills, Title II, Family Support Act) offers employment and training programs for AFDC applicants and recipients.  The program must comply with various requirements of federal law in order to access federal funds and maximize effectiveness.

SUMMARY:

Public assistance statutes are conformed to federal requirements and to current policies and practices by revising both the AFDC and the Food Stamp Employment and Training programs, including the following significant provisions:

(1)Continues general assistance eligibility based upon pregnancy for recipients who place a child for adoption up to the end of the month following a six week period after the child's birth;

(2)Permits assistance to persons otherwise ineligible due to real property ownership in excess of federal limits by establishing certain procedural safeguards and providing for departmental liens;

(3)Eliminates departmental duplication of effort in responding to requests by parents for information regarding a child's location;

(4)Adds a nondiscrimination clause, allows a community work and training program for food stamp recipients, and creates a "Job Opportunities and Basic Skills" training program for AFDC recipients; and

(5)Repeals numerous superseded code sections regarding obsolete job programs, corrects references to federal acts and makes technical changes.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Restores to current law and practice the procedure for parents seeking information on custodial addresses, and makes technical changes.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:   available

TESTIMONY FOR:

Several technical changes are needed to conform to federal requirements and address issues raised in Floyd v. Sugarman.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Office of Support Enforcement would be the inappropriate entity to respond to requests by noncustodial parents regarding custodial addresses.

TESTIFIED:  Bernice Morehead, Department of Social and Health Services (pro); Bob Hoyden, P.O.P.S. (con)